


Saving a Robin

by Eve_Fics



Series: Staying Whelmed & Erable [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Dickinette, F/M, Garth - Freeform, Gen, I mentioned like Tula, Jason Todd Lives, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Robin, MariBat, MariDick, and Toia just cause, for now, most of them are there for a quick second
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 12:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22496434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eve_Fics/pseuds/Eve_Fics
Summary: “Please Mari! We’re not gonna make it”“Dick? What’s wrong, you’re not making any sense!”“I-It’s Jason, Joker got him”
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Dick Grayson
Series: Staying Whelmed & Erable [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612798
Comments: 12
Kudos: 588





	Saving a Robin

**Paris, France**

**_April 26, 23:00 CEST_ **

  
  


Marinette Dupain-Cheng was sitting in her room, sketching out a new design for Penny’s wedding dress. She’d been honored when Jagged and Penny had asked her for a commission, Marinette had wanted to give it as a wedding present but they refused so she’d just need to think of something else.

As she sketched she realized that someone was calling her, she looked at her clock and at her sleeping kwami; 11 p.m. Who would be calling her at this time?

She looked and saw the contact on screen: Bird Boy

If she was correct it was five in the afternoon back in Gotham, if that was where he was.

“Hello𑁋?”

“Mari you have to save him!”

To say she was startled was an understatement. 

They met a little over three years ago when the whole splitting of worlds took place as Ladybug and Robin. They had changed but remained close friends and even knew each other under the mask. At seventeen he was now Nightwing while she remained as an older Ladybug.

“Please Mari! We’re not gonna make it”

“Dick? What’s wrong, you’re not making any sense!”

“I-It’s Jason, Joker got him”

That woke her up, a cold sweat breaking out through her whole body.

She was well aware of the  _ monster  _ that clown was.

“What are his coordinate?”

She quickly got up, waking Tikki up, as she tried recalling if it was Pegasus’ turn to do patrol or if she’d have to get to Max first.

“He’s somewhere in Ethiopia, I’ll send you his coordinates”

“Tikki, spots on!”

Their call was transferred to her yo-yo, taking out the communicator before locating Pegasus and Carapace near the bakery, lucky her.

“Don’t worry Dick, we’ll bring him back”

“Please Mari…” Ladybug stumbled a bit at hearing him; he sounded so desperate, something she almost never heard in his voice. It didn’t belong with his cheerful demeanor.

“... We’ll do our best, Bug out”

Ladybug quickly dialed Pegasus, it only rang once before the hero answered.

“Ladybug? It’s not your turn to𑁋”

“No time. I’m sending you coordinates for a portal, Nightwing called and we’re up for a rescue mission. ETA 2 minutes”

“On it Ladybug, should Carapace come with?”

“Yes. Make sure he’s there by the time I get arrive”

As she ran through the rooftops of Paris it had finally dawned that this was a life or death situation, one of the rare she’d be involved in that didn’t involve Hawkmoth.

Robin’s life was being wagered.

_ Jason’s  _ life was at stake.

_ She remembered meeting Jason about two years ago when he became Bruce Wayne’s latest ward. She and Dick had gotten to messaging each other constantly and found herself surprised when he began to talk about replacements and fearing that Bruce would be taking his mantle of Robin and give it to his new adopted brother. _

_ If you asked her, that was a ridiculous idea. Bruce loved Dick as his son, even if he was emotionally inept and sometimes needed help showing it, there was no way he would just replace and shove him to the side when he adopted Jason. _

_ If he did then she was ready to tear him a new one like she nearly did to Superman when she and Conner had gotten to talk. _

_ Marinette remembered the talks she’d recently had with Dick, how he felt he was outgrowing the mantle of Robin, he was no longer the ‘Boy Wonder’; after nearly seven years he was approaching graduation. She had an idea that Bruce knew this as well and was giving Dick a small push into what they knew he had the potential to turn into next. _

_ Still he was nervous. _

_ So he offered to go to Paris via Zeta to come up with ideas for his plan for the future, not wanting to tell his Team in fear he’d back out last minute; the nostalgia of Mount Justice and the Team in general enough to stop him. Marinette had gotten to know him well enough that she knew he was just avoiding the problem at home. So she casually mentioned that she never got to meet him at his house, the two always meeting up either in Paris or Mount Justice, even going so far as saying that he was ashamed of her.  _

_ Of course she was joking but that didn’t mean she hadn’t enjoyed his flustered expression as he tried convincing her otherwise. _

_ Nonetheless she soon found herself in Gotham, New Jersey with Dick waiting for her near the telephone booth. Everything was going as well as it could on their drive back to Wayne Manor, Marinette wondered why they hadn’t just zeta’d to the Batcave but she could tell that her friend was still nervous so she hadn’t bothered to voice her thoughts then and just continued on their small talk while one Agent A, Alfred Pennyworth, sat at the wheel. _

_ “So what’s your brother like?” Marinette had decided to finally bite the bullet when they reached the outskirts of the city. Dick had stayed quiet for longer than Marinette felt comfortable, finally feeling as though she had overstepped until he hummed. _

_ “... He’s had a tough childhood, doesn’t trust easily, which is how he survived on the streets for so long. Jason has a good heart but he won’t show anyone until they’ve proven themselves…. Though he’s also susceptible to blowing up in people’s faces but I wouldn’t take it personally” Dick found himself looking at Marinette’s warm smile. _

_ “I think you’re the best brother a kid could ask for; though I’m also an only child so….” _

_ Dick didn’t respond but based of the pink tint on his cheeks she could tell he heard and appreciated it. _

  
  


“What’s the situation LB?” Carapace asked as she landed on the rooftop with the duo. The hero had been so deep in her memories that she hadn’t realized she was going on autopilot.

“Robin has been captured by the Joker with Batman and Nightwing being too far away to get him in time; from what I gather there’s a bomb involved so we’re on a timer. There’s no time to waste, Pegasus.”

The two males realized the severity of the situation and readied themselves, Pegaus quickly calling out Voyage; To Ethiopia they went.

  
  


**Somewhere in Ethiopia**

**_April 27, 01:05 GMT_ **

  
  


When the three stepped through the portal the first thing they took note of was the sand they were surrounded in.

The second was the warehouse.

“Robin! Robin, can you hear me!” Ladybug yelled out as they ran towards the metal building. Her enhanced hearing was able to pick out the labored wheezing near the door.

“L-Lady.. Bug?” the spotted heroine gave a relieved sigh to hear he was still conscious, not wanting to focus on the injuries she could practically hear.

“Robin, thank kwami. We’re going to get you out; how’s the timer?” Ladybug gestured to Carapace as the shelled hero began to ram into the metal door with no budge.

“Fi-Fifty second. Door locked from inside, can’t m-move” the second Robin wheezed out. Ladybug looked at her companions, silent communication they’ve perfected over the years of working together. Ladybug and Pegasus took a running start before slamming into the window; a cascade of wood chips and glass raining after them. Carapace jumping in after them, as the two dusted themselves off, Pegasus announcing “Thirty seconds”

“He’s too injured to move him in time” Carapace shook his head, Ladybug nodded as he began to lift his shield until Jason groaned out;

“M-my mother. Still here…” Ladybug could see the woman in question near the other side of the warehouse. Her instincts, which were never wrong, told her that this woman was dangerous and was the one that got Jason into this mess. With less than twenty seconds left Ladybug ran towards the unconscious woman, ignoring the gross smell of cigarettes. Trying to pick her up proved fruitless so dragging her across the floor it was.    
By the time she made it back to the group there was less than ten seconds left.

“Carapace!”

“Shellter!”

When the shaking had stopped they thought they could hear Batman cry out for Robin. Ladybug also realized that her yo-yo was vibrating with a call coming from it. Carapace finally lifted off the barrier as they saw Batman approaching in earnest.

“Carapace, Ladybug, Pegasus” the dark knight seemed to stumble before seeing the broken boy on Ladybug’s lap. 

“J-Jaylad” Ladybug was surprised that Batman had the ability to stutter but the man kneeled to envelop his son in a strong embrace, aware of his fragile state and numerous injuries.

“B. Knew you’d come” were the last things he said before going unconscious. Batman momentarily panicked before Ladybug began to glow. Shaking her head reassuringly as she placed a hand on the boy wonder’s head.

“He’s alive but needs immediate medical attention” a slight echo to her voice as she said so. 

“I have everything we need at the Batcave” Pegasus and Carapace seemed surprised while Ladybug nodded, typing out the coordinates for Pegasus.

Without another word Pegasus called out the second Voyage to the Batcave, Batman following behind with Jason in his arms, Carapace carrying the unknown woman.

  
  


**Batcave**

**_April 26, 17:10 EST_ **

  
  


The group immediately got to work, with Ladybug and Carapace helping Agent A with Jason’s healing while Pegasus and Batman inspected the woman and verified who she was.

“She really is Sheila Haywood” Pegasus said after running some tests while they treated her injuries. Pegasus was smart and based on Ladybug’s actions, concluded that Haywood played a major reason why Robin was captured by the Joker. She was lucky that Batman had no killing rule but that didn’t save her from the authorities. If not then he was sure Ladybug would do something about it.

“Broken rib pierced lung and internal bleeding” the two concluded after x-rays and bloodworks. Even when she regained consciousness she did nothing, she didn’t even ask for Jason or ask if they would do something. Haywood just laid there with a defeated expression.

“We need to let him rest” Ladybug sighed as she, Agent A, and Carapace finished cleaning wounds, stitching and performing healing magic on the mangled boy; she also decided to message back Nightwing since none of them had yet. “Though he’ll probably be out for two days” 

The zeta beam barely had any time to announce “Recognized B 0-1, Nightwing” and “Recognized B 1-6, Batgirl” before both heroes came skidding into the Batcave’s infirmary.

“Is he?” Batgirl started, taking in the Boy Wonder’s pale face and heavily bandaged injuries, Carapace shook his head and patted her on the shoulder.

“He’s a strong kid, he’ll make it”

Both let out sighs of relief before looking at the woman seperated with a curtain from Jason but with a handcuff strapping her to the medical table.

“I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her” Ladybug grumbled, something she rarely allowed herself to do nowadays. “That’s Sheila Haywood”

“ _ Oh _ ” Batgirl found herself glaring at the seemingly indifferent woman before getting closer to Jason in the softest caress she could, smoothing his hair to the side, as though he were porcelain.

“Ladybug, Carapace, Pegasus” the Parisian looked to see Batman, looking more broken than he had ever allowed while wearing the cape. The Dark Knight said no words but with body language they understood his message. 

“It was no problem. If you ever need help, I think I speak for all of us when I say that Team Miraculous will be there to help” Pegasus tried his best in channeling his emotion into words, something he had gotten better at with the help of Roi Singe and Bunnix.

“I think I’ll stay behind to help look out for him” Ladybug shook her head, quietly speaking with her team before she and Batman followed them to the Batcave Zeta.

“Recognized M 0-5, Carapace, M 0-8, Pegasus”

“Rest, Batman” Ladybug patted the looming figure, her eyes looking sympathetic and older than she was “It’s been a long night, I can take care of Rob if he needs anything”

‘And keep an eye on Haywood’ was a silent addition to her request.

The Bat looked like he was about to object but another look at Ladybug and one at Agent A told him that he really should, it had been an emotionally and physically exhausting day. Jason would be safe, he was certain but a part of him was still paranoid. Not to mention what they would do with Haywood.

That would be a worry for tomorrow.

Today,  _ today  _ was a success ; they had rescued his youngest son.

“I think I’ll be heading home for the night” Batgirl stated, taking off her gear to reveal Barbara Gordon “ We’re going to have to make a story as to what happened to Jay without seemingly being a cover-story for abuse. Not to mention track down that  _ sick  _ son of a bitch”

Alfred, though raising a brow , let her slide just this once.

He was feeling the same.

“And that’s precisely why you’re an irreplaceable part of the BatFam, Babs” Nightwing teased before the ginger girl bid them goodnight. Alfred too retired for the night, though not before giving Haywood enough anesthesia render her unconscious until it was the afternoon.

Soon it was just Ladybug and Nightwing looking after the little Robin.

  
  


_ “Hi, I’m Marinette, a friend of your brother” the sea green eyed boy looked at her, seemingly unimpressed by her presence and shrugged her off. _

_ “Jason” for all his tough attitude and devil-may-care way he carried himself, the Parisian girl couldn’t help but think it was just the way he protected himself. Then there was also this sort of… attraction, which sounded wrong but it was the closest thing she had for the sensation, she got when they approached. _

_ Ever since she donned the Ladybug Earrings she had begun to feel that with certain people; people she later deemed worthy of wielding a Miraculous as the Guardian of Miracles. _

_ She wondered… _

_ “So how are you liking it living with Monsieur Wayne and Dick here?” Marinette wanted to get to know the boy, after all if all went well he’d be the next Robin and most importantly was her friend’s younger brother. The boy shrugged, indifferent to what she had asked. _

_ “It’s better than living on the streets I guess”  _

_ He really was a tough cookie, she thought before coming up with an idea. _

_ “Would you like to help me make some cookies?” _

_ The boy seemed to perk up at the idea of sweets but still looked at her suspiciously, as though it were an elaborate plan. _

_ “My parents work at a bakery, the best in Paris they say, and not to toot my own horn but I’m not half bad” _

_ Jason’s eyes widened though quickly schooling themselves, giving her another one over before tilting his head; _

_ “You’re one of Dickwad’s hero friends” _

_ “Hmm I don’t know, it depends on how annoying he’s being” Marinette shrugged, silently laughing at Dick’s sputtering of betrayal and Jason’s laughs. _

_ Yeah she thinks she can make it work. _

  
  


“... Like the new look” Ladybug looked over at Nightwing, once again having gone too deep in her memories, when she finally processed what he said.

“O-Oh! Thank you, I wanted to try something different “ Ladybug said bashfully, twirling her finger around her new pixie bob hairstyle. 

Miraculous holder subconscious choose their outfits, she learned after her first year of being Guardian, sometimes that meant outfit changes when they either matured or had something fundamentally change about them as people. Marinette thought that reaching her sixth year as Protector of Paris; she’d started and graduated Lycee, began her own online store—MDC—, interned first Audre Bourgeois aka Style Queen, designed more outfits and covers for Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale. She had even designed and donated MDC originals for a Wayne Charity Auction for mental health initiatives.

That’s not even accounting for the Miraculous Team’s alliance with the Young Justice and Justice League; which meant extra training, undercover missions and finding out whatever the Light had been up to. She even smacked some sense into Superman for his treatment of Superboy with Chat Noir, which yeah she prided herself in her ability to scare the Man of Steel. Or traveling to Themyscira with Wonder Woman to meet a former user, Queen Hippolyta.

She even got Batman to smile when she snatched the ring from Green Lantern’s(Hal) hand.

Yet she could not capture Hawkmoth.

She’d been in a bit of a stump but talking to her friends, Dick and Jason especially, helped ease her worries of not being good enough, of being a disgrace to the Ladybug mantle.

_ “Mari, in this line of work you need to stay whelmed in order to survive “ _

_ “What Dickwad here is sayin’ is that you can’t let your fear consume you, you gotta overcome. This line of work is scary” Jason sighed, barely two years of being Robin and he had already seen so much. Marinette sometimes questioned if she would have chosen the life rather than have the life choose her like he did. _

_ “We know it’s not always asterous, in fact it’s always more dis, but we’re here to do the job so others won’t; To defend those who can’t do it themselves” _

_ ”Paris needs Ladybug and that’s you” _

Marinette found that she enjoyed watching the boys get flustered when she burst out in tears after but that was neither here nor there. She made arrangements to meet with Black Canary afterwards, the woman helping her go over her issues and insecurities. It wasn’t much but after some time she had managed to conquer over her problems and not let them overwhelm her. Definitely better than just suppressing her emotions like she had done in her first few years as Ladybug.

She hadn’t focused on the new costume; she had been designing it subconsciously for some time when she started helping Dick with his new Nightwing look. She loved him but the man was a fashion disaster; the mullet he claimed not to have been growing and the disaster of his “Discowling” suit, which she nearly ripped at sight, was anything to go by.

Instead of a basically indestructible spandex suit she had to change it up;

A black unitard being the base of her suit with her chest, shoulders, elbows,groin, back, and legs (except for her knees) covered in Ladybug’s signature pattern of red with black polka-dots. She also added a red with black half jacket, fingerless gloves, and a utility belt (enchanted to always be stocked) into the mix along with a red ribbon with two long ends in her hair.

“Ladybug 2.0 I suppose” Marinette shrugged, the only thing staying the same was her mask and yo-yo. After so many years she thinks it was well needed, if anything it helped separate herself from the barely 13 year old girl that was chosen to protect the city of Paris from a magical terrorists.

“I think it looks great” Nightwing gave a small smile, the soft beeping of heart monitors echoing in the Batcave.

“And you also thought that the 80s and 90s made great fashion statements” Ladybug rolled her eyes as his faux offended clutch to the heart.

She really did love this goofball of a Boy Wonder.

She suddenly found her hands being held by those of Nightwing’s, it was nice the way they seemed to perfectly cup her own, before turning to see the cerulean eyes of Dick Grayson looking into her own bluebell ones. Raw emotion clear in them; gratitude, happiness, sorrow, determination…  _ love _ .

“Thank you Mari; for saving my brother, for being with us through thin and thick, for being my best friend, don’t tell Wally” Ladybug couldn’t help but giggle at his joke, she felt the same about the whole best friends and Adrien; though with them it was literally like being practically siblings or platonic soulmates. “For  _ everything _ ”

“Dick, ” Ladybug started before removing her mask, something she learned she could do willingly and still stay in the suit, “ You know I love you guys, I would move heaven and Earth to help you. And I very much could if I get Adrien to agree with me” she teased and got him to laugh.

“I know you could kick my ass if you really wanted, it’s what makes training interesting” he wiggled his eyebrows as she pushed him, well aware of the amount of times they had each other pinned, only for the Team to start whistling or groaning.

_ Teenagers _ .

“Mari, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you” Dick looked a bit insecure for once, never letting himself feel like this while in the field, Marinette could feel her heart beating, her cheeks flushing in anticipation.

“Ever since we met, I knew you were special, that special spark that made you totally asterous. I know we’re both busy fighting crime and dealing with our own villains but I—”

Dick hadn’t gotten to finish as soft pink lips pressed against his own, his eyes widening before closing and choosing to cherish the moment. It felt like fireworks and a million little ladybugs fluttering among them, it felt like forever but ended too quickly.

“I um I like you too” the scarlet hero was really living up to that name as her face grew redder.

“A-Asterous” Dick stammered, they looked at each other’s flushed expressions before bursting out in laughter.

“Oh kwami look at us” Marinette brushed a tear from her eye, “The Team is totally going to make fun of us for waiting so long”

“Definitely, especially cause we’re the ‘babies’ of the group”

The two remained cuddled up to each other, keeping watch of their little Robin, content with being in each others presence while in deep thought. After what was probably hours Dick spoke up.

“I can hear you thinking Mari, what’s up?”

“It’s just… Do you think he’d want to keep being Robin. After what happened with that monster” Marinette sighed, lightly brushing on Jason’s bruised face. “I-I know that if you guys hadn’t called my team the chance of him surviving what happened were zero”

“... I think that’s something for Jay to decide. If he chooses to leave the life then we’d get it, there’s no need to force him to stay in the business” Dick answered, both feeling so tired as everything came crashing and the high of confessing going down.

“We’ll figure things out Mari” Dick gave her a reassuring squeeze as she snuggled into him.

“It’s what we do”

**Batcave**

**_April 28, 11:05 EST_ **

  
  


Like they had predicted Jason didn’t wake up until two days later, Marinette having demanded that she be informed when she left back to Paris via Zeta.

“I feel like shit” were the first words out of Jason’s mouth as he regained consciousness.

“Little Wing!” Jason nearly groaned as Dick tried squeezing the remaining life out of him “If you weren’t so injured I swear I’d kick your ass”

“L-love you too asshole” 

It was then that a looming shadow went over the boys, Jason barely making out the tall figure he was 85% sure was Bruce…. And Marinette with her hands on her hips.

_ He was so dead, wasn’t he? _

“I’m sorry for letting myself get caught by Joker” Jason hadn’t realized he was crying until his eyesight began to blur or that he was shaking. Phantom pain,  _ her  _ cold blue eyes and the echoing of  _ his  _ laughs stuck on his head.

“ _ Sorry about that, kid. Looks like you chose the wrong person to trust, this time” _

“Jaylad?” Bruce’s words got him out of his trance, the man he was having problems with lately but was still his dad and mentor, holding him tight and whispering that he was in the Batcave, away and safe from harm.

“Oh Jason…” Marinette said next to him, brushing his hair with Dick “None of this was your fault”

“You’re home now little wing”

  
  


**Mount Justice**

**_May 1, 14:00 EST_ **

  
  


“Recognized B 0-2, Nightwing, M 0-1, Ladybug, B 1-3, Robin”

“Robin!” Tula exclaimed, having been talking to Garth and Kaldur, in surprise when she took in his appearance. Black Canary had informed them that Robin and Nightwing would be unavailable for some time, just telling them that they were private Bat matters. The young boy had his mask on, partially covered by the bandages around his head, patches on his cheek where part of a bruise was still popping out, his left foot was in a cast, using a crutch on that side, and she would bet that there were more injuries hiding underneath his loose sportswear.

“Sup Aquagirl, notice anything different?” Robin asked nonchalantly, Ladybug poking him and telling him to cut it out.

“What happened?” Garth asked concerned, no one on the team ever got so many injuries on a mission, a broken bone was the most any of them had gotten. Then again he  _ was _ human.

Robin seemed to close up, glaring at the floor, Ladybug excusing them as she guided him to Black Canary’s office.

“Nightwing?” Kaldur tried, seeing how tired the three looked and noticing how Robin was the only one injured.

“... Robin left on an undisclosed mission without telling anyone. His identity was compromised and Joker got a hold of him” the trio trying to refrain from gasping “We… We wouldn’t have made it in time, I called Ladybug’s team to help”

“You made the right choice, my friend” Kaldur tried comforting, remembering the 13 year old boy he started the Team with, still younger than he was when they funded it.

“I just𑁋 I don’t know what we would have done if he…”

“It is best not to think of what would have been” Garth said, wondering just what the poor boy had gone through at the hands of the madman.

“We must be there for him, after such an experience”

  
  


**Mount Justice**

**_May 1, 16:30 EST_ **

  
  


“Are you sure you can do this M’gann?” Batman asked, Chat Noir looked over at the dark knight standing next to Ladybug, Nightwing, Superboy, and surprisingly Robin with Black Canary as moral support. They watched as Miss Martian was about to enter the interrogation room with one Sheila Haywood, attempting a memory wipe/ manipulation for the first time. 

From what Ladybug explained the woman was Jason’s birth mother and knew he was Robin, having set him up with Joker. She would be going to jail for child endangerment, kidnapping, embezzlement, involuntary manslaughter, and for being an accomplice to  _ Joker _ ; in short she was totally going to jail.

“I’m sure I can, I’ve been training with uncle J’onn” she smiled before going into the interrogation room, Haywood not even putting up a fight or saying anything really. The group watched and listened through the one-sided mirror as M’gann took a seat in front of her.

“Hello, I am Miss Martian. Do you know why I’m here?”

“.... “

As M’gann explained what she was here to do to Haywood, Chat Noir noticed how Superboy looked more uncomfortable as the time approached.

“Kon?” he asked, testing out the Kryptonian name Superman gave him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure she can do it, she’s a powerful psychic”

“That’s not what I’m worried about” Kon confessed, Chat Noir distinctly remembering that they hadn’t heard from Psimon in three years after the Team had gone to Bioliya only to find out that he was left in a catatonic state after his confrontation with M’gann. 

He could see why Kon was concerned.

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

Chat would later regret that statement.

“You- You monster!”

It seemed to have caught them all off-guard as M’gann yelled out and Sheila screamed in agony. The Martian girl did not stop, even as Batman and Black Canary ordered her to; Robin yelling out for her to stop, Ladybug having to stop him from trying to barge into the room; Nightwing following Superboy as he tried shaking her out of it.

It was too late.

Sheila Haywood was left in a vegetable state.

  
  


**Paris, France**

**_May 6, 15:00 CEST_ **

  
  


Jason and Dick had decided to go visit Marinette and the team to get away from the nightmare that was the press after they caught wind of Jason’s appearance post Wayne family press release by Lois Lane.

After being coddled in love and force fed sweets by the Dupain-Chengs the group was left in Marinette’s room with Adrien, Kagami and Luka.

“I don’t think I can go back there… not for a while” Jason confessed as they talked about what occurred that day, “She wasn’t an innocent woman but to do  _ that _ ” he shook his head.

“It’s understandable. Such a thing sounds frightening” Kagami nodded

“Frightening? Try traumatic. You didn’t hear how she yelled, see how she foamed or how unremorseful M’gann was” Jason closed in on himself, not caring if it made him seem younger than the were, he was but they didn’t care and respected him as an equal, if coddling him from time to time.

“What M’gann did was uncalled for which is why she is being benched and forced to go to more private lessons with her uncle until he deems she’s ready” Dick tried to console his brother.

“That’s not the only reason is it?” Luka asked “Your song is indecisive, as though it wants to start a new melody”

“... I don’t think I can keep being Robin” 

“If this is about B then I don’t think—“ Dick tries reassuring the younger boy only for him to shake his head

“It’s not B! I just— I can barely stand  _ looking  _ at my uniform so how the hell am I supposed to be Robin!” the room was quiet, not even the Kwamis were making noise from Tikki’s room.

“I just can’t… I’m sorry Dick”

“Hey,” Dick went over to his brother and gave him a hug “You don’t need to be Robin if you don’t want to, you don’t even have to keep the life; we’ll still love you all the same”

“He’s right, we’ll still be your friends, still talk and text you even if you don’t want to be a hero” Adrien smiled softly

“And if the others say anything you always have a place with us” Luka stated as the others nodded.

“I think he’d look nice with a nose-ring” Marinette teased with a wink, the Kwamis looking from the little room, an indigo one with horns looking very much pleased with the human before him.

  
  


**Gotham, New Jersey**

**_May 25, 23:00 EST_ **

  
  


Nearly a month after the announcement of the kidnapping of Jason Peter Todd-Wayne, the newspaper began to suspect that something had happened to Robin the Boy Wonder. It had been a while since anyone had seen or heard of him. The Joker, having been locked up in Arkham two weeks ago, would only cackle and laugh about how he clipped the wings of a little birdy.

It made people worry at the implications.

Batman never made comments, he didn’t do interviews anyway, but when Commissioner Gordon asked him privately at the rooftop with the Bat Signal, the dark knight found himself showing slightly more emotional than he usually would with a sigh;

“Robin  _ is  _ alive, though he was captured and tortured by the Joker. Understandably he was benched as he recovered but he says he can’t take the cape again; he retired”

Jim Gordon hadn’t realized that he held his breath since the moment he questioned Batman. He was worried for the second Boy Wonder, because there was no way he was the same kid from five plus years ago. A part of him hoped that the boy found peace in the new civilian life, maybe he’d grow up to be a police officer, a doctor, social worker, politician or even take up a mask later on in life.

Jim Gordon genuinely wished the boy happiness wherever he was.

  
  


**Happy Harbor**

**_June 1, 17:30 EST_ **

  
  


“Y-You’re breaking up with me?” M’gann couldn’t help the look of hurt and sadness from reaching her face, she could tell that he felt the same but still determined to follow through. If she could only fix his feelings𑁋

“You’re doing it again!” Conner didn’t care that he was yelling or that others could listen, this needed to stop. “You don’t think I’ll notice when you go inside my mind! M’gann you’re taking your powers too far; first Psimon, then Haywood and now you’re using it on whoever wants to chastise you for doing this sort of crap”

Conner remembered when they were informed of Psimon; Robin and Kid Flash had told her that what she had done was going too far while Kaldur, Zatanna and Artemis thought it was an accident but that she should probably put more effort into restraining her powers just in case. Rocket, Tempest, Aquagirl and Troia hadn’t known what to think.

The next day no one said anything.

No one commented on their issues of M’gann or anything that happened the previous day. As though it had never happened.

Then he started noticing how whenever the beginning of a fight with M’gann was brewing in his mind her presence was suddenly there and he was content again.

He was hanging out with Adrien, who had come up with an idea that could help finish the coding in Conner’s DNA that would allow him to physically age (though it would take him some time to properly train so that he didn’t mess it up), when Plagg suddenly said;

“Wow they’re really doing a number on your memories, like they’re being destroyed or something” it was framed like an off-handed comment but somehow Conner knew it was a test of some sort. He found he was afraid to ask but Adrien had done it for him.

“What do you mean? Are you saying that they’re tampering with his memories?”

“Well I could tell you for someㅡ”

“ _ Plagg _ !”

“Alright geez don’t get your panties in a twist” for an ancient primordial god Plagg often acted like a child, Conner thought “Someone, likely that Martian girl, keeps readjusting your memories or suppressing them. There were even some that were completely destroyed which is how I found out”

“This isn’t healthy M’gann; I’m not even me when I’m with you, you just mold me into whoever you  _ want  _ me to be” with a heavy heart he knew what he had to say next.

“It’s over M’gann”

  
  


**Paris, France**

**_June 26, 20:30 CEST_ **

  
  


“Are you ready Jason?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be” the boy didn’t think he felt 100% yet, maybe he never would after all that happened, but after numerous therapy sessions with Black Canary, the eggshell walking from Bruce and just staying home doing nothing at night other than the occasional monitor duty or medic; he was feeling pretty restless.

The Gotham elite girls seemed to swoon harder than before at his maturing boyish looks, amplified by a nostril nose ring (“Because I am not letting some assholes try pulling out a septum, Stompp. Can’t we change it?”) and increasing height. He couldn’t wait to leave on the last day of school. He literally went straight to the Zeta Tube and told Bruce and Alfred that he’d come back in a few days, his guardians having already been asked by Ladybug and Chat Noir beforehand.

“Well let’s see how you’ll do Jason Peter Todd-Wayne as the new Ox Miraculous user” Ladybug smiled as Jason’s anticipation grew. “Remember to deactivate say “Stompp, Olé”, you always forget”

“I won’t, you’ll see; Stompp, Charge!”

In a flash of light the new hero of Paris, Taurus, was born. With a black matador jacket, decorated with some lines of indigo, and a black unitard being the base of his suit while a vest like cutout of indigo covered his chest, indigo also covering his lower legs except for the soles of his feet, the indigo horns and fingerless gloves and ,of course, septum nose ring providing the finishing touches to his new suit.

Ladybug hadn’t known what would happen the fateful night Nightwing had called; what would have happened had she not answered the phone.

She now had a boyfriend who she loved oh so dearly with quirks and all; a new team member who was basically like a little brother to her; it also led to her best friend to get to know his own crush a little better (“I have a type Mari! Black hair and blue eyes; a double whammy”)

All it took was saving a robin.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! I was kinda unsure of how i'd go about this but i think it turned out pretty well soooo
> 
> [My Tumblr](https://eve-v0lution.tumblr.com/)


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